I'm Still Here
by Boondock Jake
Summary: Their confessions of love wasn't how they pictured it. Their first kiss wasn't how they pictured it. But given the circumstances, there was no better time than right now to take that final step.


_A/N: I'm back! Been a while but I've finally got something to post. I haven't been writing much lately due to a multitude of things, and my inspiration and desire to write have been sorely lacking. I have stories that I would very much like to finish but given how things have been, I honesty don't know how much longer I'll be posting stories._

 _Now that's not a sure thing, and I certainly don't want to walk away just yet, so I'm trying my hand at some different things and shorter stories like this that will hopefully get me back into a better mind set. I hope to finish the other two or three Star Fox stories I have in mind as I'd very much like to have more SF related stories before I'm done completely._

 _Anyways! This was just a little story that came to mind last night and it gave me an excuse to write some Fox/Krystal stuff. Enjoy!_

 _Star Fox belongs to Nintendo._

* * *

 **I'm Still Here**

Something was wrong.

Krystal could sense it, and so could her companions. They all stood within the bridge, each one at their respective command station, but their minds could not have been further away from the tasks they were assigned. It was eerily quiet as conversations had begun to die down the more time passed. Despite the lack of vocalization, Krystal could sense the thoughts in everyone's heads. With the level of tension and anxiety present, it was rather difficult not hear and feel the emotions raging within her friends.

Slippy sat in his chair, slowly tapping buttons at his console. He was merely checking the _Great Fox_ 's fuel gauge and gravity stabilization, but he had been doing so for the last fifteen minutes in an automatic fashion. His face was wrought with worry and fear, and his mind reflected his expression. Krystal could hear him run through the countless possibilities of horrible situations in his head, each one making his stress level rise. The frog cast a glance at ROB who remained motionless at the bottom of the bridge, his blank robotic face staring out the observation window.

Peppy was in the middle of marking a holographic map, bright blips appearing where his fingers pointed to. The hare seemed concentrated on his task, but his face was parallel to Slippy's. A father like sense of protection and fear flooded his mind, and Krystal caught a quick flash of a vulpine wearing dark sunglasses and what seemed to be his final moments. The blue vixen felt Peppy's heart become heavy which in response did the same to her own. Peppy removed his spectacles and rubbed his eyes before setting them back on his face and returning to his work.

Finally, there was Falco. The cocky avian was leaning back in his command chair, hands behind his head and not doing much of anything. His appearance was the opposite of the others as he exuded a sense of calm and perhaps boredom. There was an undeniable feeling of confidence he carried regarding the situation, but despite that, Krystal was able to find the small source of worry inside him. That in itself was enough to justify their fears.

Krystal herself was doing her best to track the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels on her monitor, but she too found it hopeless to do so. A strong feeling of fear and concern had wrapped itself around her heart, and she was beginning to feel on edge. The silence was becoming unbearable and she wished with all her might that ROB would tell them what they all wanted to hear.

That Fox was all right.

It had been several hours since he had left for Fichina, and he had yet to report in. The Star Fox team had just thwarted a military uprising and the planet wished to express their gratitude with a ceremony to honor them. Neither members of the team seemed interested in such theatrics, Falco and Slippy commenting that they had been to enough ceremonies to last a lifetime. Peppy and Fox were in agreement with the two, but Fox felt it would be rude and disrespectful not to attend. The vulpine volunteered to go and represent the team to spare them the trip. Krystal offered to keep him company, and she felt his heart swell at her offer.

"I'd love nothing more than your company, Krystal, but trust me; you'll want to sit this one out. You'll be bored out your skull."

The vixen cared little for excitement or lack thereof as all she wanted was to spend time with the man she had eventually fallen in love with after their adventure on Sauria.

It was inevitable she supposed, the chemistry between them being so strong so early in their friendship. Falco and Slippy often teased Fox about it, and he would revert to his shy and boyish like nature whenever possible affection between them was mentioned. Krystal found it cute, and it filled her with a girlish like sense of excitement to consider the possibility that this kind, warm, and handsome fox could hold some form of desire for her. She enjoyed teasing him from time to time to see his amusing reactions, but as time passed, those reactions became less frequent. Fox began to display a sense of confidence and boldness that would turn that girlish feeling into something else, something much stronger.

The way he smiled at her, the softness in his voice when he spoke to her, the feeling of his eyes following her when she left a room; all of it combined by the strong emotion emanating from his body whenever he was near was enough to tell her that Fox had fallen in love with her too. Krystal held much respect for her friends, and she never pried into their thoughts, but when emotions ran high, it was difficult not to catch something much like she had moments ago with the others. She heard him call her beautiful, sexy, kind, sweet, and amazing. It caused the blood to rush to her face and her heart rate explode into a frenzy of beats. The more she experienced it, the more she realized that it was time to bring it to the surface.

The Cerinian beauty had hoped that by accompanying him alone, she could confess her feelings to him and vice versa. But Fox wished to spare her from such dull activities and so he went alone. She felt a pang of disappointment at his decision but felt it was of little matter. She would tell him once he got back. But Fox had yet to return, and with each passing hour, the whole team's anxiety grew

"Starship approaching."

Everyone's heads snapped over to ROB whose metallic voice cut through the silence. Slippy jumped from his seat. "Is it Fox?!" he cried.

"Affirmative. Shall I initiate docking procedures?"

"Yes!" Slippy cried. ROB rolled over to another console and began to furiously type away. Peppy let out a relieved sigh and shook his head.

"I'm going to smack that boy upside the head. He knows he should check in."

"You worry too much, Gramps," Falco grinned. "Don't give yourself a heart attack over nothing."

"I think between you and Fox, a heart attack in inevitable."

Krystal and Slippy shared a giggle between them, the anxiety lifting like a veil. She looked out the observation world and smiled as Fox's Arwing slowly drifted towards the _Great Fox_. Her smile, however, began to fade as the Arwing drew nearer. Slowly she stood up, eyes locked on the ship. The others notice her position and Falco frowned.

"Yo, what's up, Blue?" he asked.

Krystal did not answer as she continued to stare at the ship. Something was amiss as she could barely sense Fox's brain patterns. Reaching out further with her mind, Krystal closed her eyes and focused on the Arwing's darkened canopy before it disappeared beneath the bridge and into the hangar. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open.

"No!" she shouted.

"Krystal, what is it?!" Peppy responded as they all jumped to their feet. The vixen did not reply. Instead, she whipped around and bolted out of the bridge. She heard the others call after her, but she did not slow down.

The telepath raced through a series of corridors and stairwells before she reached the ship's main elevator. She pushed the hand pad over and over, as if doing so would speed up the process. It wasn't long before Slippy, Falco, and Peppy caught up with her, skidding to halt.

"Krystal, what's wrong?! What did you see?!" Slippy asked, grabbing hold of her arm.

Krystal just continued to mash the hand pad, her emotions starting to come loose as a choked sob escaped her throat. Falco gripped her tightly by the arms and shook her. "Krystal! Calm down! What's going on?!"

"It's Fox!" she shouted. "He's-"

She was interrupted by the sound of the elevator's speaker letting out a loud _ding_ that signaled it had reached its floor. The door slid open with a quiet hiss, and everyone froze when they saw what was inside.

Fox McCloud sat on the elevator floor, his breathing heavy and labored. Bloody hand prints stained the walls and most of his uniform. A series of cuts and lacerations littered his arms and upper body, a small slice occupying his right cheek. Fox clutched at his left side where blood leaked from in-between his fingertips. He looked up at them with heavy eyes.

"Little…help?" he rasped.

The others were speechless and for a brief moment, all they could do was stare. It wasn't long before Falco snapped out of it and rushed to his friend's side. "Fox!"

Peppy and Slippy did the same; applying pressure to the vulpine's wounds and calling his name to make sure he was still conscious. Krystal could do nothing but stare at him and the blood that seemed to be everywhere. Peppy tipped Fox's head up and gently spoke to him in a frantic tone.

"Fox, Fox, what happened?"

Fox swallowed and tried to speak. He failed a few times before he managed to wheeze out, "Ambushed…by Leon…"

"Son of a bitch!" Falco roared in furious anger. "I'm going to kill that psychotic freak!"

"Quick, get him to the Medical Bay!" Peppy ordered.

Slippy and Falco took an arm each and hoisted Fox to his feet. He cried out in agony and they slowly made their way down the corridor. He stumbled and fell into Krystal who reached out to grab him. His body fell against her and she almost lost her footing, his ragged breaths echoing in her ears. Falco and Slippy pulled him back to his feet and maneuvered him down the hall. Krystal remained frozen where she was, her gaze lowering and fixated on her hands. His blood stained her palms and the front of her jumpsuit. All she could do was stare as if in a trance until Peppy took hold of her shoulders.

"He'll be okay," the rabbit told her, but she could sense the doubt in his mind. Peppy then took off after his team mates, leaving Krystal alone.

The blue furred fox found herself looking at the blood again, her hands shaking. Her mind tried to find a state of balance, but Krystal found she could not calm herself and icy cold fear stabbed at her chest. Her legs felt like jelly and she leaned a hand against the wall for support. She leaned over, sucking in air as she suddenly felt like all the oxygen had been sucked out from the _Great Fox_. Krystal closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, but the image of Fox on the elevator floor was cemented in her brain.

The vixen shook her head to try and clear the image, but it was futile. Not knowing what else to do, she willed her body to get up and ran down the hallway after Peppy and the others.

* * *

Sleep.

That's all she wanted. To sleep and wake up to discover that last six hours were nothing more than some awful dream. But it was nothing more than wishful thinking, and that reality was what it was.

Krystal tossed and turned in her bed. Her body and her mind were exhausted yet sleep refused to come to her. She supposed it was of no surprise. Every time she shut her eyes, blood and pain filled her mind. The vixen sat up and rubbed her tired eyes. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she stood up and wandered over to her observation window. Krystal gazed out at the star filled galaxy before her, the beauty of each star shining in the dark. She tried to focus on the twinkling diamonds set against the blackened abyss, but her thoughts kept returning to earlier.

She couldn't bear to watch as the team stitched Fox backed together.

 _Peppy and Slippy had managed to stop most of the bleeding, but the stab wound to Fox's side was not slowing down. ROB had suggested using something called a clotting injection. The suggestion caused a look of hesitation from the frog and hare. Falco commented something along the lines of, "Fox can handle it." Peppy eventually agreed to this tactic and had the others take hold of his shoulders._

 _ROB produced a large syringe from one of the med-kits, bright orange liquid sealed within. The android wheeled around to the side that held the wound and positioned the syringe. Krystal quietly asked what it was and Slippy mumbled a soft explanation, grip tightening on Fox._

 _"It's a treatment that's used for deep punctures and gashes. It produces a sort of…filling that clots the wound long enough to stitch it." When asked why they were holding Fox like that, Falco answered for Slippy._

 _"Because it hurts like hell."_

 _As soon as the words left his mouth, ROB inserted the syringe inside the wound and there was a sound like shaving cream being sprayed from a can. Fox's whole body jerked upwards, the muscles in his body tightening like cords as a thick, orange, foam like substance filled his stab wound. Fox's teeth clenched together hard, spittle leaking out the side of his mouth as his friends struggled to keep him still. Krystal had to cover her mouth to keep the frightened sound from escaping her lips. She could sense his pain and it was overwhelming._

 _Fox's spams eventually subsided and he laid still, chest rising and falling in heaves. Peppy patted his hand and nodded to ROB. "Get him fixed up, ROB."_

 _"Affirmative, Peppy."_

 _ROB began to clean the wounds as Slippy prepared a needle and thread. Peppy looked over to see Krystal still staring at their downed captain, horror and distress written across her face. He signaled to Falco with a nod of his head and the avian grunted in response. Wrapping an arm around the vixen, Falco began to lead her out of the Medical Bay._

 _"Come on, babe. Let's get some air," he said. Krystal let her vision stay on Fox until the doors closed. Falco took her to the Lounge Area where he sat her down on the sofa. She stared down at the floor, clenching and un-clenching her hands. The bird knelt down in front of her and gave her knee a pat. "You okay, kiddo?"_

 _"I…I don't…" Krystal struggled, "I don't understand what happened."_

 _"Leon happened," Falco growled, recalling what Fox had wheezed to him on the way to the Medical Bay._

 _Falco elaborated on the sequence of events that lead to their captain's current condition. After the ceremony, Fox had departed to return to the Great Fox. However, he received a distress call from a nearby transport and opted to investigate. What Fox expected to find was a ship and crew in need of assistance, but upon docking, he discovered the transport to be empty. Or at least it appeared that way._

 _Fox was in no condition to go in extensive detail, but it seemed Star Wolf's resident loose cannon had used the ship as bait, waiting in the shadows to put an end to the mercenary leader. Whether it was on Wolf's orders or not, no one could be certain, but Wolf had often made it clear that Fox was his to end and his alone. But Leon had a history of difficulty following the lupine's authority from time to time, and he seemed content on taking matters into his own hands and a pair of knives._

 _"It's why I hate that ceremony crap," Falco growled. "It's too much damn exposure. They make a big show for us and that just lets every scumbag in the Lylat System know where we are."_

 _Krystal grabbed her head with her hands. "I should have gone with him," she hissed at herself. "I could have helped him. I could have sensed Leon's presence and-"_

 _"Krystal, don't," Falco cut her off sternly. "Don't start that crap because it's not going to do anybody any good. Not you and not Fox. Bad things happen, and even a telepath can't see the future all the time." Krystal continued to stare at the floor, head in her hands. Falco sighed but put on a smile. "Hey, come on now, Blue. Fox will be all right. The guy's a machine. He spent a whole week with Slippy on a mission on Titania."_

 _Krystal looked up at him in question. "What does that have to do with anything?"_

 _"Have you smelled Slippy in the heat? I would have killed myself by day three!"_

 _Krystal couldn't help but laugh softly. Falco's smiled widened at that. Krystal shook her head disapprovingly at the falcon though a smile still remained don her muzzle. "You shouldn't make fun of Slippy so much," she said._

 _"Don't knock it until you've tried it." Again Krystal allowed herself to succumb to a chuckle despite the situation they found themselves in. Falco gave her a friendly rap on the shoulder before standing up. "Fox will be up and about in no time. He's never been the type to lie around for long, so no more worries, okay?"_

 _Krystal managed a smile and nodded. Falco winked and left the Lounge Area, heading back to the Medical Bay. Alone again, Krystal closed her eyes. She replayed Falco's words of reassurance in her head over and over, but it did nothing to quell the guilt and pain that resided in her heart. She wanted to go back to the Medical Bay. She wanted to sit with Fox until he woke up. She wanted to tell him how she felt._

 _Krystal wanted to be the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes._

Krystal leaned her head against the glass and sighed. She so desperately wanted to fulfill those desires, but she had no such fortune. She sat at Fox's bedside for hours with the hopes he would open his eyes. The day's events had undoubtedly sapped him of all his strength and he simply slept, chest steadily rising and falling. Krystal took a small comfort in the fact that his mind was calm and free of the agony that ravaged his body early.

Peppy came sometime after midnight to stand watch over him despite Krystal's protest. The old pilot was adamant that she should rest, and that the moment Fox is awake, he would retrieve her. Krystal tried to argue but Peppy would have none of it. She eventually succumbed to the older Star Fox member's wishes and retired to her quarters. The vixen spent a long while in the shower, washing away the remnants of Fox's blood off her hands. Watching the crimson color swirl down the drain, Krystal felt that pinch in her heart and she couldn't help but envision the aid she could have provided him if she had been there.

With a heavy burden of guilt saddling her shoulders, she walked away from the window and sat on the bed. She ran a hand through her hair, brushing away her bangs and closing her eyes. There was a spark of yearning to go and check on the vulpine, but Peppy would most likely scold her for such actions and force her back to bed. But sleep had eluded her for the night and seemed intent on continuing to do so to which caused the stunning girl from a foreign planet to shake her head in irritation.

How could he expect her to sleep after such a horrific day?

There was a light knock on her door which caused Krystal to snap to attention. Krystal hurried to the door, hoping that it was Peppy and news of Fox's awakening. She pressed a button on the side panel and her door slid open. When it did, Krystal froze in place, cobalt eyes now staring back into emerald green ones.

Fox stood in her doorway, one hand on the frame to help keep him upright. He was shirtless, the top half of his uniform cut away so that his wounds could be attended to. It was usually a sight that made her blush the few times she was fortunate to see it, but not this time. His abdomen was wrapped in bandages as were a few spots on his arms and forearms, small patches of dry blood staining the wrappings. A bandage was placed over his cheek, and it wrinkled when he smiled at her.

"Hey," he whispered with warmth and affection.

Krystal found herself speechless, but she was able to regain her wits and gently took hold of his arm. "Fox! You're up! Peppy was supposed to get me and-"

"He was asleep when I woke up. I didn't want to disturb him. Old Timer was probably up all night pulling is fur out," Fox grunted, swaying slightly.

"You should be resting," Krystal scolded. "What are you doing walking around?"

"I wanted to see you." Krystal felt her face soften at his admittance and she squeezed his arm. Fox smiled again and asked, "May I come in?"

"Oh…Oh, of course," Krystal breathed, helping him into her quarters. He leaned on her slightly and Krystal felt her temperature rise as the heat from his body tickled her fur. She guided him to the bed, and he sat down with a wince.

"Thank you," he mumbled. Krystal sat beside him, her hold on him yet to be released. Fox faced her and smiled again. "How are you doing?"

"You shouldn't be concerned with me," Krystal replied, touched that he asked such a thing. "Not after what you went through."

"Tis' but a scratch," Fox declared in a humorous tone that made him sound like a knight from Camelot. Krystal did not find the humor in it, however.

"That's not funny," she growled. "You could've been killed. You could've been…" she trailed off, trying to keep her emotions from coming to the surface. Fox's face fell.

"Are…Are you mad at me?" he asked meekly. Krystal's features quickly returned to their gentle and warm states, shaking her head.

"Of course not. I…"

"What? What is it?"

She sighed, the burden she felt forcing the air out of her lungs. "I should have been there…"

"Krystal…"

"I should have gone with you."

"I told you not to come. I shouldn't have followed up on that distress call without informing you guys. It was my fault this happened, no one else's."

"But I could have…I could have stopped him…He could have killed you…" Krystal failed to keep the sob restrained and she looked away, too ashamed to hold his gaze.

With a soft grunt, Fox rose to his feet, and taking Krystal's hands in his own, pulled her up with him. He tipped her chin up so that she would be forced to look at him. Fox smiled again, reflecting the warmth and kindness that made her love him so.

"I'm still here," he told her softly.

"But-"

"I don't want you blaming yourself for something you couldn't have known would happen. I blamed myself for my father's death and I was just a kid. No one deserves to saddle themselves with a pain like that. Not me and definitely not you. So please, don't do this. I hate seeing you hurting, and I don't want it to be over something as insignificant as me."

"Oh, Fox," Krystal breathed, hand reaching up to grip his own, "how could you say such a thing?"

"Because it's true," he answered, smile widening. "You're too wonderful to waste your concerns on a space bum like me."

It took great restraint for Krystal not to begin shedding tears. She could feel the love for her in his heart and it was so powerful it almost drove her to her knees. They remained that way for some time, Krystal trying to find the words she longed to say to him until Fox suddenly made a face that suggested he was still feeling the effects of Leon's handiwork.

"You should really be back in the Medical Bay," Krystal managed to say, her concern coming back like a tidal wave.

"I know, but…I needed to see you…sooner than later." The vixen offered him a curious look. Fox took in a deep breath and licked his lips before continuing. "I…I wanted to talk to you. I had planned to do this later when we had a leave on Corneria. Somewhere more…private and…um…romantic." Krystal's heart skipped a beat. "But given what happened today, I think it's best I do it now. Sometimes I forget we really do live day to day in this business."

"O-Okay," Krystal said quietly.

"I feel stupid saying this to a telepath, but…I think you know how I feel about you." Krystal swallowed. "And…I think I know how you feel about me." Fox then made an expression that suggested he was embarrassed before telling her, "I'm sorry…I've never said this to a woman before…It seemed easier in my mind."

"I can just read your thoughts," Krystal murmured, trying to make things less difficult for him.

"That's not the same and you know it."

Krystal remained close to him, anticipating what she knew he was saying over and over in his head without the aid of her telepathy. Before he could speak, Krystal noticed that his bandages had increased in color and she pulled away from him.

"You're bleeding," she told him. Fox looked down and shook his head with another smile.

"I'm fine. Just…my heart rate I guess."

Krystal made to put her hand on a bandage applied to a spot on his chest but she stopped. Fox looked hurt from her retreat, his ears folding slightly. Sensing his confusion, Krystal was quick to elaborate. "I'm sorry, Fox, I...You must be in pain and...I don't want to hurt you."

She pulled her hand back, but Fox reached out with his own, stopping her from doing so. His eyes never left hers, and ever so slowly, he pulled her hand towards him and pressed it against his chest, just over his heart.

"You don't have to be afraid to touch me," he whispered. "You could never hurt me."

Krystal could feel the beating of his heart, a fast and excited rhythm that caused the same reaction within her own breast. She could see the longing and affection in his eyes, so powerful that she could not look away even if she wanted to. Fox slipped his other arm around her back, pressing her tightly against him. With her slender body pressed against his strong form, their muzzles were almost touching. Krystal could read the desire in his eyes and brain. The urge to kiss her was like a raging storm in his body, but he held back, as if waiting for her permission. Her own free hand came up and wrapped around his bicep.

"You don't have to be afraid to touch me either," the vixen whispered back.

Both foxes held each other's gaze until Fox leaned forward and closed the distance between them. Krystal's eyes closed upon contact, warm, smooth flesh against her lips that sent a chill up her spine. Fox held her even tighter now, and he pressed his mouth against hers more. His tongue brushed across her teeth, wanting access to more of her. Krystal blushed again but allowed him entry.

He rubbed up against her tongue, flickering and teasing, all the while skillfully moving his lips with hers in perfect unison. Krystal could not resist the moan that escaped her throat, the hand against his chest now clenching his fur. Fox's fingers slid up her back and neck and glided through her blue hair until he gently held the back of her head. How long they remained that way, she did not know, but Fox eventually released her lips with a soft _pop_ that echoed throughout her small quarters.

"I love you," he spoke barely above a whisper.

The amount of power in those three words were like nothing Krystal had ever experienced. The joy and ecstasy that flooded her body was like a drug, endorphins in her brain firing away with the force of a Landmaster. She slid her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his, the coolness of her metal tiara soothing on his skin.

"I love you, too, Fox," she cooed in his ear.

Fox's strong arms squeezed her even tighter and his lips found hers once more. She returned his kiss with great vigor, all her feelings of guilt and fear replaced with happiness and relief. For another unidentifiable amount of time they remained in each other's arms, kiss after kiss exchanged with the occasional squeeze of affection or nibble of the ear. Krystal leaned her head back, cradling Fox's head in her arms as he suckled at the flesh on her neck.

"Fox," she whimpered, his kisses sending jolts of electricity along her skin, "as much as I don't want this to end…you need to rest."

"Mmm, that'd be easier if you didn't taste so good," he murmured into her fur, lightly dragging his teeth along her neck before kissing her again. He suddenly pulled away and his face twisted into a look of discomfort as he clutched at his side. "Then again…I shouldn't be such a glutton."

Krystal giggled and nuzzled his cheek. Fox stepped away from her, finding the will to do so very difficult. "I should let you have your rest too. I feel bad enough I've kept you awake this long."

"It was very much worth it," Krystal smiled.

Fox returned it and they both stared into each other's eyes, neither wanting to be away from the other. "Well…We'll continue this another time, when I don't have a few holes in me. Goodnight, Krystal," he whispered, stroking her cheek. He turned to leave but Krystal clasped her hands around his arm to halt his retreat.

"I'd feel better…and sleep better…if you were near me. So I can keep watch over you," she said, tugging him back towards her bed.

"Oh…What about the others? They'll come looking for me."

"And?"

"Uh…I just…um…" Fox stuttered, picturing the image of the team finding him in Krystal's bed. The blue vixen let out a gentle laugh and eased him onto her mattress. She nestled herself in beside him, careful to avoid any sensitive areas and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

"I don't think it will come to be of any surprise to them, don't you think?" she mumbled in a tired yet dreamy tone. Fox smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"No…I guess not."

* * *

 _A/N: Ugh, am I mushy or what? Well, I hoped you enjoyed this little story. It was good practice as I haven't written much so I hope there isn't too much rust. Thanks for reading and I hope to be posting another one real soon! Cya!_


End file.
